Entry for January 28, 2007

Fred D. Mason, Jr., USLAW’s Co-Convenor and President of the Maryland AFL-CIO, was one of two labor speakers. He addressed the rally on behalf of the union contingent of nearly 2,000 and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

There should be no peace rally at this time without significant labor participation.

Is organized labor on the Mall?

Are there union members on the Mall?

Sisters and Brothers, I bring you greetings today on behalf of President John Sweeney and the millions of working men and women of the AFL-CIO.

I love this country and I give honor, respect and thanks to my fellow Americans who proudly serve in our military and provide all of us with a strong national defense.

I stand here today because I believe that President Bush is leading our country in the wrong direction.

Nowhere is this misdirection more evident than in his approach to Iraq.

The American public spoke loudly in the November elections: removing from office many of those who shared the President’s wrong approach.

The new Congress — many of whom we helped to elect — has a responsibility to the American people to end U S military involvement in Iraq and bring our troops home now.

Today thousands of union members from all over the country have joined with others to urge our legislators to demonstrate resolve and responsibility and resist the bullying of President Bush.

The American people, most of whom are working men and women, do not want a ‘surge’ in the violence and deadly risk to their loved ones, associated with the President’s approach to Iraq.

Our democracy provides us the opportunity to express the peoples’ will in electoral processes. However, when there are questions as to whether those elected are heeding the people’s will, we have a responsibility to speak with a louder voice and we do that in the streets and communities of America.

We call on our national leaders to stop funding efforts directed towards war, death and destruction, and redirect those resources to building America: providing for the safe and healthy return of our troops to an America where the dream of upward economic mobility and social equality is a reality.

End the War — Bring Our Troops Home!

A representative of the Service Employees International Union led this this chant, the same one quoted on the poster circuilated to advertise the U.S. Labor’s participation in January 27th march organized by United for Peace and Justice :

Not one more deathNot one more dollarNot one more day

Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced H. Con.Res. 23 on January 10 with 21 co-sponsors expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not order an escalation in the total number of members of the United States Armed Forces serving in Iraq. He spoke at the rally, saying:

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H.R 511 supports Bush and says that Congress will not cut off funds for deployed troops. Measures before House Armed Services critical of Bush’s policy in Iraq:

January 9, H.Res 41 introduced by Marty Meehan (D-MA), was the first bill to express the sense of the House that

an increase in the number of members of the United States Forces deployed in Iraq is the wrong course of action and that a drastic shift in the political and diplomatic strategy of the United States is needed to help secure and stabilize Iraq.

The original 22 co-sponsors were:

Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1]

Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]

Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3]

Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]

Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7]

Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4]

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]

Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15]

Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1]

Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]

McCollum, Betty [MN-4]

Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]

Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]

Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]

Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]

31 have added their names since that time as of January 24:

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] – 1/10/2007

Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] – 1/24/2007

Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] – 1/12/2007

Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] – 1/10/2007

Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] – 1/23/2007

Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] – 1/17/2007

Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] – 1/10/2007

Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] – 1/10/2007

Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] – 1/17/2007

Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] – 1/16/2007

Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] – 1/11/2007

Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] – 1/11/2007

Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1] – 1/10/2007

Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] – 1/10/2007

Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] – 1/12/2007

Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 1/10/2007

Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] – 1/16/2007

Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] – 1/16/2007

Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] – 1/23/2007

Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] – 1/24/2007

Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] – 1/12/2007

Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] – 1/10/2007

Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] – 1/12/2007

Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] – 1/12/2007

Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 1/11/2007

Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 1/16/2007

Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] – 1/22/2007

Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] – 1/12/2007

Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] – 1/16/2007

Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] – 1/16/2007

Rep Wu, David [OR-1] – 1/10/2007

I’m not sure why Kucinich didn’t just sign on. Did he want to sponsor his own legislation? His original co-sponsors overlap supporters of Meehan’s measure:

Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]

Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7]

Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]

Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14]

Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7]

Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7]

Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4]

Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]

Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]

Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]

Rep Johnson, Henry C. “Hank,” Jr. [GA-4]

Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13]

Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]

Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]

Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4]

Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16]

Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]

Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33]

Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]

Rep Wu, David [OR-1]

The measure was referred to the House Armed Services Committee chaired by . Through January 24, another dozen had added their names as co-sponsors:

Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] – 1/11/2007

Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] – 1/16/2007

Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] – 1/11/2007

Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 1/16/2007

Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] – 1/22/2007

Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME
-2] – 1/22/2007

Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] – 1/11/2007

Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] – 1/11/2007

Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 1/11/2007

Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 1/16/2007

Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 1/22/2007

Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] – 1/12/2007

Also n January 9, prior to Bush’s January 10 address announcing a troop surge, Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced H.R. 353 to prohibit the use of funds for any escalation above the numbers existing on January 9. The five original co-sponsors were:

Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5]

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]

Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10]

Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]

Since then there have been another 15 co-sponsors:

Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 1/22/2007

Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] – 1/17/2007

Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] – 1/16/2007

Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] – 1/10/2007

Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] – 1/10/2007

Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] – 1/10/2007

Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 1/17/2007

Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] – 1/11/2007

Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] – 1/24/2007

Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] – 1/10/2007

Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] – 1/12/2007

Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 1/11/2007

Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] – 1/12/2007

Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] – 1/11/2007

Rep Welch, Peter [VT] – 1/18/2007

January 11, Sam Farr (D-CA) introduced H.R. 413 which rescinds the 2002 authorization to go to war and requires the President to:

provide for the withdrawal of units and members of the United States Armed Forces deployed in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in a safe and orderly manner.

Since then he has obtained cosponsors:

Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 1/24/2007

Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] – 1/24/2007

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 1/24/2007

Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] – 1/22/2007

Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 1/22/2007

Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] – 1/22/2007

Interestingly all of those co-sponsors sined on after John Murtha’s more popular H. J.Res. 18 introduced January 17 which specifies the problems in Iraq and says that the Congress

finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action.

The measure calls for:

Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.

Sec. 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S. Marines shall be deployed in the region.

Sec. 3. The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.

Farr, Kucinich, Markey and Meehan were all four of the original 86 co-sponsors:

H.Res. 97. introduced January 24 by Patrick Murphy (-PA) by calls for cost accounting every 90 day
s by the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction . The original 35 co-sponsors:

Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] – 1/24/2007

Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 1/24/2007

Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] – 1/24/2007

Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-8] – 1/24/2007

Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] – 1/24/2007

Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] – 1/24/2007

Rep Boyd, Allen [FL-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA-18] – 1/24/2007

Rep Chandler, Ben [KY-6] – 1/24/2007

Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20] – 1/24/2007

Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4] – 1/24/2007

Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep Ellsworth, Brad [IN-8] – 1/24/2007

Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY-20] – 1/24/2007

Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] – 1/24/2007

Rep Herseth, Stephanie [SD] – 1/24/2007

Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] – 1/24/2007

Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] – 1/24/2007

Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep Mahoney, Tim [FL-16] – 1/24/2007

Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] – 1/24/2007

Rep Matheson, Jim [UT-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] – 1/24/2007

Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] – 1/24/2007

Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] – 1/24/2007

Rep Moore, Dennis [KS-3] – 1/24/2007

Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7] – 1/24/2007

Rep Pomeroy, Earl [ND] – 1/24/2007

Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] – 1/24/2007

Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] – 1/24/2007

Rep Scott, David [GA-13] – 1/24/2007

Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11] – 1/24/2007

Rep Tanner, John S. [TN-8] – 1/24/2007

Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] – 1/24/2007

H.Con.Res.29 by Charlies Rangel (D-NY) calling for the removal of all restrictions from the public, the press, and military families in mourning that would prohibit their presence at the arrival at military installations in the United States or overseas of the remains of the Nation’s fallen heroes, the members of the Armed Forces who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan, with the assurance that family requests for privacy will be respected.

H.Con.Res 45 by Frank Wolfe (R-VA) that it is the sense of Congress that the House supports the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, most importantly–

(1) the repositioning of United States troops to reflect strategic and tactical needs as determined by United States commanders in Iraq that meet the objective of training and equipping the Iraqi military, containing terrorism through special operations and rapid reaction forces, and ensuring the transfer of responsibility from United States to Iraqi control;

(2) that the United States establish an explicit framework for cooperation and coordination with Iraqi leaders that includes the achievement of specific milestones and objectives within a reasonable time frame;

(3) that the United States government launch a new diplomatic initiative to unite the region and build international consensus for stability and reconstruction in Iraq; and

(4) that any policies enacted by the Administration with regard to Iraq are implemented in direct and continued consultation with Congress and relevant House and Senate committees.

There are other measures before the house Armed Services Committee that I’ll write about later:

to require the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Defense Contract Audit Agency, to review all defense contracts relating to reconstruction or troop support in Iraq involving any contractors, subcontractors, or Federal officers or employees that have been indicted or convicted for contracting improprieties.,

to implement the recommendations of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction to ensure that the Department of Defense properly accounts for all small arms weapons procured by the Department of Defense for use by the Iraqi Security Forces.

Ends Congressional authorization for use of military force against Iraq December 31, 2007.

Prohibitis use of funds to establish or maintain permanent United States military presence in Iraq.

Requires within 30 days of passage that the President to prepare and submit an exit strategy from Iraq and subsequent United States role in Iraq.

Assistance for employment programs and democracy, governance, and related programs in Iraq.

Presidential Special Envoys for Iraq Regional Security.

H.R. 663, ” New Direction for Iraq Act of 2007, ” Blumenauer’s January 24 measure to prohibit the escalation of United States military presence in Iraq, redeploy the armed forces and restore Iraqi sovereignty

The Vietnam War drew great public attention and opposition since many were in harms’s way, due to the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.), which is still in effect, but inactive due to the all-volunteer army.

Charles Rangel (D-NY) on January 10 submitted H.R. 393 , The Universal National Service Act of 2007 to

requi
re all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the favorable treatment afforded combat pay under the earned income tax credit

Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced H.R. 424 to repeal the Military Selective Service Act

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